Project Manager

The Donkey Sanctuary; Devon and Torbay; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life assurance

Holiday allowance

Wellbeing team

Fitness classes

Long service awards

Health plan

Free parking

Employee shop

Job summary

The Donkey Sanctuary in East Devon is seeking an experienced Project Manager to join the Business Strategy & Programmes Team on a hybrid basis. The role involves planning, delivering and embedding major system implementation projects across the charity, with internal teams and senior management.

You will manage end-to-end project lifecycles, drive benefits realisation, manage risk and change, and build strong stakeholder relationships.

Qualifications

• Holder of a recognised formal project management qualification (APM/Prince2/PMD Pro or equivalent).
• Proven success in the management and delivery of multiple complex, concurrent projects in a busy environment with varying priorities, budgets and time frames.
• Evidence of delivering successful system implementation projects through a typical project lifecycle, ideally with ERP implementations
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrable experience of establishing, building and maintaining successful stakeholder relationships.
• Able to lead and motivate project teams.
• Demonstrable evidence of creating and implementing new processes.
• A good understanding of change management principles in large scale system implementations.

Responsibilities

• Taking an active part in designing, adapting and delivering plans to meet project aims and objectives.
• Leading in implementation management and monitoring/evaluation across end-to-end project lifecycles.
• Managing, escalating and communicating project progress to senior management.
• Providing PM expertise to sponsors and senior PM to ensure delivery on time, budget and quality.
• Active management of risk, issue, decision, action and benefits tracking tools for reporting.
• Working with Change Manager and project team to ensure stakeholder engagement and adoption.
• Encouraging new ideas and lessons learned to improve structures and processes.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Change management

Communication

Team leadership

Education

APM/Prince2/PMD Pro certification

Job description

These are exciting times for the charity, and we have an excellent opportunity for a Project Manager with experience of successful delivery in systems implementations to join the busy Business Strategy & Programmes Team

Position: Project Manager

Location: East Devon/Hybrid (site attendance currently estimated to be one day per week)

Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week, 08.30-16.30, Monday-Friday

Salary: £44,886 per annum

Contract: 2-year fixed term contract starting as soon as possible

Closing Date: Monday 7 September 2026

Interview Date: Via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 September.

About the Role

As Project Manager, you will oversee and lead the planning, communication, implementation and delivery of projects of significant strategic benefit to the charity, involving operational teams and management at all levels. These projects sit within a global Technology Transformation Programme of work reporting to the Senior PM.

Your principal duties and responsibilities will include:

• Taking an active part in designing, adapting and delivering plans necessary to meet the aims and objectives of each project.
• Leading in implementation management and monitoring/evaluation of delivered projects through relevant phases of an end-to-end project lifecycle.
• Managing, escalating and communicating project progress and issues to senior management in relevant project/programme meetings.
• Providing Project Management expertise to Project sponsor(s) and Senior Project Manager to ensure projects are delivered on time, to quality and within agreed budget for achievement of benefits realisation.
• Active management of related risk, issue, decision, action and benefits tracking tools to regularly report on progress and areas of escalation.
• Working closely with the Change Manager and wider project team to ensure stakeholders have sufficient engagement and support opportunities to enable adoption success.
• Actively encouraging the generation of new ideas and opportunities across the organisation, gathering lessons learned, to improve structures, processes and adoption of different ways of working.

About You

You will have:

• Holder of a recognised formal project management qualification (APM/Prince2/PMD Pro or equivalent).
• Proven success in the management and delivery of multiple complex, concurrent projects in a busy environment with varying priorities, budgets and time frames.
• Evidence of delivering successful system implementation projects through a typical project lifecycle, ideally with experience of organisation wide ERP implementations
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrable experience of establishing, building and maintaining successful stakeholder relationships.
• Able to lead and motivate project teams.
• Demonstrable evidence of creating and implementing new processes.
• A good understanding of the principles of good change management associated with large scale system implementations.

Benefits include:

• Life assurance – 2 x annual salary
• 31 days holiday (including Bank holidays), rising to 34 will each full year of service.
• Wellbeing team.
• Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes.
• Long service awards.
• Healthshield plan
• Free parking.
• Life assurance.
• Subsidised restaurant and shop.

About the Organisation

Join one of the UK’s largest international animal welfare charities, currently supporting projects in over 35 countries worldwide, working for a world where donkeys and mules live free from suffering and their contribution to humanity is fully valued.

The Charity is a Disability Confident Employer, committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults) and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.

You may also have experience in areas such as Project Manager, Project Lead, Project Officer, Project Deputy Manager, Lead Project Manager.